Air rifle



R. I. DANIEL April 12, 1966 AIR RIFLE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 25, 1962 INVENTOR. FzZarZIJ/wzf.

April 1966 R. I. DANIEL 3,245,392

7 AIR RIFLE 7 Filed June 25, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 r d 4 J 7 v 7 7 7 I I id 74 /4? .64:

74 24 /JJ M J4 v v INVENTOR.

F10ari I IdfizsZ April 12, 1966 R. I. DANIEL 3,245,392

AIR RIFLE Filed June 25, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet s E E1. aze/14 11 ,Zdrrzez BY W WM 17- NEG Q51 R. I. DANIEL AIR RIFLE April 12, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Filed June 25. 1962 quiredto cock the spring-actuated plunger.

United States Patent 3,245,392 AIR RIFLE Richard I. Daniel, Rogers, Ark, assignor to Daisy Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Nevada Filed June 25, 1962, Ser. No. 204,759 11 Claims. (Cl. 124-15) This invention relates to air rifles having a springactuated plunger and more particularly to improved means for cocking and loading such air rifles.

In accordance with certain of the concepts of the present invention, a spring-actuated plunger of the type which makes a noise or fires a projectile from an air rifle is cocked by means of an improved double-acting lever mechanism comprising a main lever which is initially moved in a first direction to partially cock the plunger. Then the main lever is moved in a direction opposite to said first direction to cause a secondary lever to fully cock the plunger. The main lever and secondary lever are operatively interconnected to minimize the force re- Once the plunger is fully cocked, a safety lever will releasably hold the plunger to prevent accidental firing of a projectile from the rifle. The rifle is fired when a trigger-hammer firing mechanism is actuated to release the plunger.

In accordance with other of the concepts of the present invention, shot may be loaded through an exterior port in a rifle housing into a reserve magazine without having to take the rifle apart. The reserve magazine communicates with a secondary magazine or feed tube so that shot can pass from the reserve magazine into the feed tube by merely tilting the rifle in a predetermined direction. The feed tube is sized to count out a predetermined number of shot which are then positioned in a ready-tofire position with respect to a spring-actuated plunger by means of forced feed mechanism located within the feed tube. Shot in the feed tube can be returned to the reserve magazine if desired. With such an, arrangement it is not necessary to completely empty shot from the rifle in order to insure that shot will not be fired therefrom in case it is cocked and fired. In other words, until shot is passed from the reserve magazine into the feed tube the rifle is effectively unloaded even though it carries a large number of shot which can be quickly fed into a readyto-fire position.

The objects of the present invention, therefore, are to improve double-acting lever mechanisms for cocking spring-actuated plungers in air rifles of the type which include a main lever for partially cocking the plunger which operatively connects to a secondary lever for fully cocking the plunger; to improve such double-acting lever mechanism by providing safety means for releasably securing the plunger until a trigger-hammer firing mechanism is actuated; to provide safety means which allow the main lever to be manually operated after the plunger is cocked without releasing the plunger; and to provide such safety means for releasably holding such a plunger comprising a safety lever operatively connected with the plunger and the secondary lever which releasably secures the plunger until the trigger-hammer firing mechanism is actuated.

Further objects of the invention are to improve shot feed mechanisms for air rifles; to improve such mechanisms by providing means for loading shot into an air rifle without having to take the rifle apart; to provide such loading means including a large capacity shot magazine which communicates with a loading box having an opening therein which is closed by means of a springbiased gate.

Further objects of the invention are to improve shot feed mechanisms by operatively associating a large ice capacity shot magazine with a smaller capacity shot magazine which includes forced feed means for positioninga preselected number of shot in a firing chamber; to interrelate the large capacity shot magazine with the smallercapacity shot magazine so that shot will pass from the large capacity magazine into the smaller capacity magazine when the rifle is tilted in a predetermined direction; to provide a forced feed mechanism in said smaller capacity magazine which is actuatable to count out a predetermined number of shot from the large capacity magazine when the rifle is tilted in the predetermined direction; and to provide a firing chamber communicating with the smaller capacity shot magazine which coacts with the forced feed mechanism to prevent shot from running out the barrel of therifle when the rifle is cocked.

A further object of the invention is to provide a leveractuated rifle for firing B-Bs, corks or making noise which is constructed and arranged to have the appearance of a full scale lever-actuated rifle for firing real ammunition.

Further objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in longitudinal section of a rifle constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged side view, partially in sec tion, of the details of the cocking and firing mechanism of the present invention located in their safety positions;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view of the opposite side of the mechanism illustrated in FIGURE 2 showing the safety lever of the present invention;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged side view partially in section, of the details illustrated in FIGURE 2 located in their partially cocked positions; 7

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged view partially in section of the details illustrated in FIGURE 2 located in their battery positions;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged view partially in section of the details in FIGURE 2 located in their fired positions;

FIGURE 7 is a view in side elevation of the rifle illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged view in section of feed mechanism constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention; and

FIGURE 9. is a view in horizontal section along the line 9.9 of FIGURE 7.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGURES l and 7 illustrate an air rifle which is a substantial replica of a leveractuated Winchester rifle which is fired by means of a hammer and trigger mechanism. Accordingly, the rifle includes an elongated barrel portion 10 having a tubular magazine 12 located on the underside thereof which is connected thereto by means of a band 14 at the front of the barrel 10 which surrounds the barrel 10 and the tubular magazine 12. A forearm 16 is located intermediate the opposite end of the barrel 10 by means of a band 18 which surrounds one end of the forearm casing 16 and the barrel 10. The opposite end of the forearm 16 fits within a casing 20 which encloses and is secured to the rear end of the barrel 10 by means of suitable fasteners representatively illustrated as screws 22. The casing 20 is connected by suitable means to a stock 24 located rearwardly of the barrel 10. Suitable front and rear sights 26, 28 are secured to the upper surface of the barrel 10 in order to aim the rifle.

The gun further includes a spring-actuated plunger mechanism 30 which is located within the barrel at the rear end thereof. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the spring-actuated plunger mechanism 30 is associated with an improved shot feed mechanism 32 for firing short or BB out of the barrel 10. However, it

should be understood that the plunger mechanism 30 can also be adapted for use with conventional cork feed mechanisms or noisemakers.

The gun further-includes a plunger cocking mechanism 34 and a hammer-trigger firing mechanism 36 which are located at the rear of the barrel 10.

The plunger mechanism is more clearly illustrated in IGURE 8 as comprising an elongated tubular plunger 38 which is urged forwardly in the barrel by means of a compression spring 40 which surrounds the plunger -38 and has one of its ends engaging a fixed abutment 42 (see FIGURE 1) located in the barrel 10 and its opposite end engaging a pin 44 directed through the front end of the plunger 38, a rear portion of a plunger head 48 of resilient material and one end of a forwardly directed elongated air tube 46. The opposite end of the tube 46 is directed through a barrel sealing washer 50 which axially abuts against the rear surface of a feed cylinder 52 having an aperture 54 defined therethrough in which the opposite end of the tube 46 is supported. The peripheries of the plunger head 48 and washer 50 sealingly engage the inner surface of the barrel 10 to prevent air leakage from the barrel 10 between the head 48 and washer 50,

Accordingly, when the plunger 38 is released the spring 40 will force it toward the front of the barrel 10 compressing air between the head 48 and washer 50 which passes through an aperture 56 in the rear end of the air tube 46 to fire shot located within the feed cylinder aperture 54 through a shot tube 58 which has one of its ends supported by the feed cylinder 52 in alignment with the aperture 54 which is sealed against air leakage by means of an annular washer 59 seated in the forward surface of the cylinder 52. The plunger head 48 and the barrelsealing washer 50 are of a suitable resilient material for cushioning the plunger 38 when it is released against the forward abutment defined by the rear surface of the feed cylinder 52.

In the illustrated embodiment the plunger 38 is cocked into a ready-to-fire or battery position by means of the cocking mechanism 34 which comprises a lever arm 60 which pivots on a pin 62 secured at the rear of the barrel 10. An outwardly directed end 64 of the lever arm defines a trigger guard and a handle portion and its opposite end is bent inwardly of the barrel 10 to define a cam surface 66 which is adapted to be operatively connected to a clip 68 connected to the rear end of the plunger 38. Movement of the lever end 64 outwardly of the barrel 10 is limited by means of a lever stop 70 which has spaced arms 71, 72 pivotally connected on either end of the pin 62 adjacent the forward end of the lever 60. The free ends of the arms 71, 72 are interconnected by an arm 73 directed transversely of the barrel 10 to engage the forward surface of the lever 60 when its outer end 64 is in its fully opened position. (See FIG. 4.) The cocking mechanism 34 further includes a secondary lever 74 which has one end pivotally connected by means of a pin 76 at a point on the lever 60 rearwardly of the cam surface 66 and which has its opposite end connected to one end of a spring 7 8 which has its opposite end secured to the barrel 10.

When the lever 60 is moved outwardly of the barrel 10 as illustrated in FIGURE 4, the cam surface 66 thereon will bear against the plunger clip 68 forcing the plunger 38 rearwardly in the barrel 10. When the lever 60 engages the transverse arm 73 of the stop 70 a shoulder 80 on the upper surface of the secondary lever 74 will engage the forward surface of the plunger clip 68 and will be held thereagainst by means of the spring 78. When the lever 60 is moved toward the barrel 10 from its fully opened position it will force the secondary lever 74 in a rearward direction so that the shoulder 80 will force the plunger 40 into a safety position illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3. When the plunger 40 is in such a safety position, the secondary lever 74 is in an over-center position so that spring forces from the spring 78 will bias the outwardly directed end 64 of the lever 60 into a closed position against the barrel 10.

The plunger 38 is releasably held in its safety position by means of an elongated safety lever 82 which has one end thereof pivotally connected to the pin 62 between the arm 71 of the stop and the lever 60. The opposite end of the lever 82 has an arm 84 which is directed outwardly through an opening 85 in the side of the barrel 10. The arm 84 connects to one end of a hairspring 86 which has its opposite end connected at one side of the rearward part of the barrel 10 for biasing the lever 82 in a direction which will cause a shoulder 88 defined in the upper surface thereof to engage the plunger clip 68 to prevent forward movement thereof. Since the pivot point of the safety lever 82 is always fixed, the lever will continue to releasably hold the plunger 38 even though the main lever 60 is moved away from the barrel 10 after the plunger is fully cocked.

The rifle is fired by means of the hammer-trigger firing mechanism 36 which is illustrated as comprising a hammer 90 which is pivotally mounted on a pin 92 connected at the rear portion of the barrel 10 and a trigger 94 which is pivotally mounted on a pin 96 which is likewise connected to the rear of the barrel 10. A lower rear portion on the hammer 90 is connected to one end of a spring 98 which urges the hammer 90 in a counterclockwise direction as illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 4 through 6. Similarly, a rear surface on the trigger 94 engages one end of a spring 100 which has its opposite end anchored on the rear end of the barrel 10 so as to urge the trigger 94 in a clockwise direction in FIGURES 2 and 4 through 6.

The hammer 90 includes a shoulder 102 directed outwardly therefrom which engages a sear 104 on the trigger 94 when the hammer 90 has been pivoted a predetermined degree in the counterclockwise direction by means of the free end of the secondary lever 74 which engages a cam surface 106 on the hammer 90 as the plunger 38 is cocked rearwardly of the barrel 10. When the shoulder 102 engages the sear 104 the hammer 90 and trigger 94 are releasably held in a safety position since the shoulder 102 will prevent the trigger 94 from being pivoted out of engagement with the hammer 90.

The firing mechanism is moved into a ready-to-fire position, illustrated in FIGURE 5, by pivoting the hammer 90 counterclockwise from its safety position until a second outwardly directed surface 108 thereon engages the sear 104 of the trigger 94. In this position, the trigger 94 will clear the shoulder 102 on the hammer as it is rotated in a counterclockwise direction by a trigger force applied thereon. The hammer 90 will consequently be forced downwardly by the spring 98 so that its forward cam surface 106 will engage the upper surface at the rear end of the secondary lever 74 which will pivot downwar-dly about the pin 76 to separate the shoulder 80 from the plunger clip 68. The lever 74 also engages a shoulder 110 on the safety lever 82 which is likewise moved downwardly to separate a the shoulder 88 from the clip 68. This releases the plunger 38 which is moved forwardly by the actuating spring 40 in the barrel 10 to fire a shot outwardly of the shot tube 58.

Shots are positioned within the feed cylinder 52 by means of the improved shot feed mechanism 32 which is best illustrated in FIGURES 7 through 9 as comprising a large capacity shot-loading magazine 112 representatively illustrated as an elongated tube having one end thereof located at a loading box 114 fixed to the casing 20 by suitable means such as screws which supports a loading gate 116 having a shoulder 118 thereon adapted to block the end of the large capacity shot loading magazine 112. The gate 116 is concavely shaped as shown in FIG- URES 7 and 9, to aid in guiding shot into the first shot magazine 112 when depressed, and is urged outwardly of the barrel 10 into engagement with casing 20 by means of a spring 121 to block the shot loading magazine 112. When the gate 116 is depressed inwardly toward the barrel the end of the shot loading magazine 112 is opened so that shot can be inserted therein. The shot loading magazine 112 is operatively associated with a loading mechanism 120 which can be actuated several times before the shot loading magazine 112 will be emptied.

The loading mechanism 120 comprises an elongated feed tube 122 secured within the magazine tube 12 having one of its ends communicating with one end of an outlet passageway 124 defined in the feed cylinder 52 which has its opposite end communicating with the aperture 54. An elongated shot feed follower 126 of flexible material is slidingly mounted within the feed 'tube 122 and the outlet passageway 124 and includes a handle portion 128 which is directed outwardly of an aperture 130 defined in the magazine tube 12 for retracting the feed follower 126 against the force of a compression spring 132 located within the feed tube 122 between the forward end of the feed follower 126 and the forwardmost end of the feed tube 122. The handle portion 128 serves as an indicator of the number of shots left. In the illustrated arrangement the feed follower 126 includes a plurality of transverse grooves 134 at the rear end thereof which allow the feed follower 126 to follow the curvilinear path of the outlet passageway 124 in the feed cylinder 52.

When the feed follower 126 is moved forwardly in the feed tube 112 against the force of the spring 132 it opens an inlet passageway 136 in the feed cylinder 52 which has one end thereof communicating with the loading magazine 112 and its opposite end communicating with the outlet passageway 124. When the feed follower 126 is fully retracted a predetermined number of shots are counted out of the loading magazine 112 by tilting the forward end of the rifle downwardly so that shots will pass into the feed tube 122. The feed follower 126 then forces the shots from the feed tube 122 into the outlet passageway 124. In the illustrated arrangement, the feed tube 122 has a capacity of approximately ten shots and the loading magazine 112 will carry approximately thirty shots. Accordingly, the rifle can be reloaded several times without adding additional shots to the loading magazine 112.

When the outlet passageway 124 is full of shots the spring 132 will urge the follower 126 against the shots to force an uppermost shot 138 into the aperture 54 in the feed cylinder 52. The end of the outlet passageway 124 which communicates with the aperture 54 is shaped to permit a shot 140 immediately below the shot 138 to engage the forward surface thereof to prevent it from rolling out of the barrel before the rifle is fired. The engagement is comparatively slight so that when the air tube 46 is moved against the shot 138 it will freely ride over the upper surface of the shot 144 When the rifle is fired the air tube 46 will close the top of outlet passageway 124 and when it is retracted the follower 126 will force the shot 140 into a firing position where it is held by means of a next lower shot, as discussed above.

Such a feed mechanism allows a large number of shots to be carried'in the rifle at location which is remote from the firing mechanism of the rifle. In other words, if it is desirable to store shots in the rifle without having them in a ready-to-fire position, the reservoir defined by the outlet passageway 124 can be emptied into the loading magazine 112. When the shots are so located, they cannot be accidentally fired from the rifle. Such shots, however, can be quickly located in a firing position by manipulating the feed follower 126 and tilting the rifle, as discussed above. Such a two-magazine arrangement differs from prior air rifles which have to be completely emptied of pellets in order to obtain such safety.

It will be understood that the specific construction of the improved air rifle which is herein disclosed and described is presented for purposes of explanation and illustration and is not intended to indicate limits of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An air rifle comprising a barrel, a plunger slidingly mounted in said barrel, first spring means biasing said plunger in a first direction, a first lever pivotally mounted with respect to said plunger having one end thereof movable between opened and closed positions with respect to said barrel and having its opposite end adapted to be operatively connected to said plunger during the lever opening stroke for moving said plunger in a direction opposite to said first direction into a partially cocked position, a second lever pivotally secured to said first lever, second spring means biasing said second lever toward said plunger, means operatively connecting said second lever to said plunger during the lever closing stroke for moving said plunger further in said opposite direction into a fully cocked position, safety means for releasably holding said plunger in its fully cocked position independently of the movement of said first and second levers, and means releasing said second lever and said safety means from said plunger to allow said first spring means to move said plunger in said first direction.

2. An air rifie comprising a barrel, a plunger slidingly mounted in said barrel, first spring means biasing said plunger in a first direction, a first lever pivotally mounted with respect to said plunger having one end thereof movable between opened and closed positions with respect to said barrel and having its opposite end adapted to be operatively connected to said plunger during the lever opening stroke for moving said plunger in a direction opposite to said first direction into a partially cocked position, a second lever pivotally secured to said first lever, second spring means biasing said second lever toward said plunger, means operatively connecting said second lever to said plunger during the lever closing stroke for moving said plunger further in said opposite direction into a fully cocked position, a third lever pivotally mounted with respect to said first lever, third spring means biasing said third lever toward said plunger, means operatively connecting said third lever to said plunger for releasably holding said plunger in its fully cocked position independently of the movement of said first and second levers, and means releasing said second and third levers from said plunger to allow said first spring means to move said plunger in said first direction.

3. An air rifle comprising a barrel, a plunger slidingly mounted in said barrel, first spring means biasing said plunger in a first direction, a first lever pivotally mounted with respect to said plunger having one end thereof movable between opened and closed positions with respect to said barrel and having its opposite end adapted to be operatively connected to said plunger during the lever opening stroke for moving said plunger in a direction opposite to said first direction into a partially cocked position, a second lever pivotally secured to said first lever, second spring means biasing said second lever toward said plunger, means operatively connecting said second lever to said plunger during the lever closing stroke for moving said plunger further in said opposie direction into a fully cocked position, a third lever pivotally mounted with respect to said first lever, third spring means biasing said third lever toward said plunger, means including a first portion on said third lever for releasably holding said plunger in its fully cocked position independently of the movement of said first and second levers, said third lever having a second portion thereof operatively connected to said second lever, and firing means including means for moving said second lever in a direction which releases said third lever from said plunger to allow said first spring means to move said plunger in said first direction.

4. An air rifle comprising a barrel, a plunger slidingly mounted in said barrel, first spring means biasing said plunger in a first direction, a first lever pivotally mounted with respect to said plunger having one end thereof movable between opened and closed positions with respect to said barrel and having its opposite end adapted to be operatively connected to said plunger during the lever opening stroke for moving said plunger in a direction opposite to said first direction into a partially cocked position, a second lever pivotally secured to said first lever, second spring means biasing said second lever toward said plunger, means operatively connecting said second lever to said plunger during the lever closing stroke for moving said plunger further in said opposite direction into a fully cocked position, a third lever pivotally mounted with respect to said first lever, third spring means biasing said third lever toward said plunger, means including a first portion on said third lever for releasably holding said plunger in its fully cocked position independently of the movement of said first and second levers, said third lever having a second portion thereof operatively connected to said second lever, and firing means including a trigger and a hammer having a cam surface which engages said second lever for releasing said third lever from said plunger to allow said first spring means to move said plunger in said first direction.

5, An air rifle comprising a barrel, a plunger slidingly mounted in said barrel, first spring means biasing said plunger in a first direction, a first lever pivotally mounted with respect to said plunger having one end thereof movable between opened and closed positions with respect to said barrel and having its opposite end adapted to be operatively connected to said plunger during the lever opening stroke for moving said plunger in a direction opposite to said first direction into a partially cocked position, a second lever pivotally secured to said first lever, second spring means biasing said second lever toward said plunger, means operatively connecting said second lever to said plunger during the lever closing stroke for moving said plunger further in said opposite direction into a fully cocked position, a third lever pivotally mounted with respect to said first lever, third spring means biasing said third lever toward said plunger, means including a first portion on said third lever for releasab-ly holding said plunger in its fully cocked position independently of the movement of said first and second levers, said third lever having a second portion thereof operatively connected to said second lever, and firing means including a trigger and a hammer, said trigger and hammer including coacting surfaces which prevent movement of said trigger relative to said hammer, said hammer further including a cam surface which engages one end of said second lever during the lever closing stroke to move said hammer until said coacting surfaces engage one another.

6. An air rifle comprising a barrel, a plunger slidingly mounted in said barrel, first spring means biasing said plunger in a first direction, a fixed pivot pin, a first lever pivotally mounted thereon having one end thereof movable between opened and closed positions with respect to said barrel and having its opposite end adapted to be operatively connected to said plunger during the lever opening stroke for moving said plunger in a direction opposite to said first direction into a partially cocked position, stop means limiting the opening movement of said first lever including an arm located on each side of said first lever having one end thereof pivotally secured on said pivot pin and the opposite end thereof connected to a transverse arm which engages a portion of said first lever when it is moved to a fully opened position, a second lever pivotally secured to said first lever, second spring means biasing said second lever toward said plunger, means operatively connecting said second lever to said plunger during the lever closing stroke for moving said plunger further in said opposite direction into a fully cocked position, and means releasing said second lever from said plunger to allow said first spring means to move said plunger in said first direction.

7. An air rifle comprising a barrel, a plunger slidingly mount d in said barrel, first spring means biasing said plungerin a first direction, a fixed pivot pin, a first lever pivotally mounted thereon having one end thereof movable between opened and closed positions with respect to said barrel and having its opposite end adapted to be operatively connected to said plunger during the lever opening stroke for moving said plunger in a direction opposite to said first direction into a partially cocked position, stop means limiting the opening movement of said first lever including an arm located on each side of said first lever having one end thereof pivotally secured on said pivot pin and the opposite end thereof connected to a transverse arm which engages a portion of said first lever when it is moved to a fully opened position, a second lever pivotally secured to said first lever, second spring means biasing said second lever toward said plunger, means operatively connecting said second lever to said plunger during the lever closing stroke for moving said plunger further in said opposite direction into a fully cocked position, safety means for releasably holding said plunger in its fully cocked position independently of the movement of said first and second levers, and means releasing said second lever and said safety means from said plunger to allow said first spring means to move said plunger in said first direction.

8. An air rifle comprising a barrel, a plunger slidingly mounted in said barrel, first spring means biasing said plunger in a first direction, a first lever pivotally mounted with respect to said plunger having one end thereof movable between opened and closed positions with respect to said barrel and having its opposite end adapted to be operatively connected to said plunger during the lever opening stroke for moving said plunger in a direction opposite to said first direction into a partially cocked position, a second lever pivotally secured to said first lever, second spring means biasing said second lever toward said plunger, means operatively connecting said second lever to said plunger during the lever closing stroke for moving said plunger further in said opposite direction into a fully cocked position, a feed cylinder mounted within said barrel forwardly of said plunger, means defining an opening directed through said feed cylinder, means defining a first shot magazine, means defining a second shot magazine of smaller capacity, means defining passageways in said feed cylinder which communicate with said first and second shot magazines and said opening, feed means including an elongated flexible arm supported within said second shot magazine for forcing a shot from said passageways into said opening after counting out a predetermined number of shots from said first shot magazine, means releasing said second lever from said plunger to allow said first spring to move said plunger in said first direction, and means operatively connected to said plunger for firing a shot from said opening in said firing cylinder.

9. An air rifle comprising a barrel, a plunger slidingly mounted in said barrel, first spring means biasing said plunger in a first direction, a first lever pivotally mounted with respect to said plunger having one end thereof movable between opened and closed positions with respect to said barrel and having its opposite end adapted to be operatively connected to said plunger during the lever opening stroke for moving said plunger in a direction opposite to said first direction into a partially cocked position, a second lever pivotally secured to said first lever, second spring means biasing said second lever toward said plunger, means operatively connecting said second lever to said plunger during the lever closing stroke for moving said plunger further in said opposite direction into a fully cocked position, safety means for releasably holding said plunger in its fully cocked position independently of the movement of said first and second levers, a feed cylinder mounted within said barrel forwardly of said plunger, means defining an opening directed through said feed cylinder, means defining a first shot magazine, means defining a second shot magazine of smaller capacity, means defining passageways in said feed cylinder which communicate with said first and second shot magazines and said opening, feed means including an elongated flexible arm supported within said second shot magazine for forcing a shot from said passageways into said opening after counting out a predetermined number of shots from said first shot magazine, means releasing said second lever and said safety means from said plunger to allow said first spring to move said plunger in said first direction, and means operatively connected to said plunger for firing a shot from said opening in said firing cylinder.

10. An air rifle comprising a barrel, shot firing means located within said barrel, 3. feed cylinder mounted within said barrel forwardly of said shot firing means, means defining an opening directed through said feed cylinder and communicating with said shot firing means, means defining a first shot magazine, means defining a second shot magazine of smaller capacity than said first shot magazine, a first passageway formed in said feed cylinder communicating said first and second shot magazines, a second passageway formed in said feed cylinder communicating said second shot magazine with said opening in said feed cylinder, and shot feed means including an elongated flexible arm slidingly supported within said second shot magazine and said second passageway for forcing shot from said second magazine into said opening, said second passageway intersecting said opening through said feed cylinder at an angle which causes a subadjacent shot to engage the forward surface of a shot located Within said opening to prevent it from rolling out said feed cylinder.

11. An air rifle comprising a barrel, a plunger slidingly mounted in said barrel, first spring means biasing said plunger in a first direction, a fixed pivot pin, a first lever pivotally mounted thereon having one end thereof movable between opened and closed positions with respect to said barrel and having its opposite end adapted to be operatively connected to said plunger during the lever opening stroke for moving said plunger in a direction opposite to said first direction into a partially cocked position, stop means limiting the opening movement of said first lever including an arm located on each side of said first lever having one end thereof pivotally secured on said pivot pin and the opposite end thereof connected to a transverse arm which engages a portion of said first lever when it is moved to a fully opened position, a second lever pivotally secured adjacent one end thereof to said first lever, second spring means biasing said second lever toward said plunger, said second lever having a portion thereon adapted to engage said plunger during the lever closing stroke and move said plunger further in said opposite direction into a fully cocked position, and means releasing said second lever from said plunger to allow said first spring means to move said plunger in said first direction.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,264,177 4/1918 Greenleaf 124-15 1,441,975 1/1923 Edelin 124-15 1,793,625 2/1931 LeFever 124-52 1,824,503 9/1931 Russell 12452 X 2,212,539 8/1940 Gunn 254-106 2,234,509 3/1941 Walcsak 124-51 X 2,391,423 12/1945 Jenkinson 42-17 X 2,528,462 10/1950 Wells 124-13 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

JAMES W. LOVE, Examiner.

W. R. BROWNE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN AIR RIFLE COMPRISING A BARREL, A PLUNGER SLIDINGLY MOUNTED IN SAID BARREL, FIRST SPRING MEANS BIASING SAID PLUNGER IN A FIRST DIRECTION, A FIRST LEVER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED WITH RESPECT TO SAID PLUNGER HAVING ONE END THEREOF MOVABLE BETWEEN OPENED AND CLOSED POSITIONS WITH RESPECT TO SAID BARREL AND HAVING ITS OPPOSITE END ADAPTED TO BE OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID PLUNGER DURING THE LEVER OPENING STROKE FIRST DIRECTION INTO A PLUNGER IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO SAID FIRST DIRECTION INTO A PLURALITY COCKED POSITION, A SECOND LEVER PIVOTALLY SECURED TO SAID FIRST LEVER, SECOND SPRING MEANS BIASING SAID SECOND LEVER TOWARD SAID PLUNGER, MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAID SECOND LEVER TO SAID PLUNGER DURING THE LEVER CLOSING STROKE FOR MOVING SAID PLUNGER FURTHER IN SAID OPPOSITE DIRECTION INTO A FULLY COCKED POSITION, SAFETY MEANS FOR RELEASABLY HOLDING SAID PLUNGER IN ITS FULLY COCKED POSITION INDEPENDENTLY OF THE MOVEMENT OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND LEVERS, AND MEANS RELEASING SAID SECOND LEVER AND SAID SAFETY MEANS FROM SAID PLUNGER TO ALLOW SAID FIRST SPRING MEANS TO MOVE SAID PLUNGER IN SAID FIRST DIRECTION.
 10. AN AIR RIFLE COMPRISING A BARREL, SHOT FIRING MEANS LOCATED WITHIN SAID BARREL, A FEED CYLINDER MOUNTED WITHIN SAID BARREL FORWARDLY OF SAID SHOT FIRING MEANS, MEANS DEFINING AN OPENING DIRECTED THROUHG SAID FEED CYLINDER AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID SHOT FIRING MEANS, MEANS DEFINING A FIRST SHOT MAGAZINE, MEANS DEFINING A SECOND SHOT MAGAZINE OF SMALLER CAPACITY THAN SAID FIRST SHOT MAGAZINE, A FIRST PASSAGEWAY FORMED IN SAID FEED CYLINDER COMMUNICATING SAID FIRST AND SECOND MAGAZINES, A SECOND PASSAGEWAY FORMED IN SAID FEED CYLINDER COMMUNICATING SAID SECOND SHOT MAGAZINE WITH SAID OPENING IN SAID FEED CYLINDER, AND SHOT FEED MEANS INCLUDING AN ELONGATED FLEXIBLE ARM SLIDINGLY SUPPORTED WITHIN SAID SECOND SHOT MAGAZINE AND SAID SECOND PASSAGEWAY FOR FORCING SHOT FROM SAID SECOND MAGAZINE INTO SAID OPENING, SAID SECOND PASSAGEWAY INTERSECTING SAID OPENING THROUHG SAID FEED CYLINDER AT AN ANGLE WHICH CAUSES A SUBADJACENT SHOT TO ENGAGE THE FORWARD SURFACE OF A SHOT LOCATED WITHIN SAID OPENING TO PREVENT IT FROM ROLLING OUT SAID FEED CYLINDER. 